“Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark”

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

A strand of hair, slapped about by the wind had glued itself to her eyeball, moisture keeping it intact. With one quick brush of her hand, she swiped the hair away, balancing her speeding body on top of the bike, careful to place enough pressure on the left handlebar, overcompensating for the momentary loss of control.

Her bike tires made odd crunching noises as she sped along the pebble-infested path. The wind began to sting her eyes, and she found herself blinking incessantly, fearing she may lose control of the bike. She always went too fast down this particular stretch of road. The trick was to apply a slight pressure on the break, seconds after the last tree on the left, it’s bark barely clinging to the trunk, like the shedding of a snake’s summer skin.

She had to turn her head a bit to the left to sense her lead on the other two, her only clue being the sound of Spencer’s front tire careening down the embankment only feet behind her. Ashley’s shoulder’s crouched and her head went down, attempting to obtain maximum velocity on the final downhill portion of the trail. Her cheeks were red from the brisk wind and the past two miles of arduous cycling.

Her mind was spinning, her senses running wild, as trees and foliage zipped past her peripherally, blurs of colors and light creating a straight pathway for her to follow. The surrounding forest had accepted her as one of them, including her in its secrets. She was an honorary member of their club, an honor Ashley did not accept lightly.

A voice mumbled in the background, causing the girl to slow, noticing the anxious tone of her friend’s voice. She pushed down on the pedal slowly, her wheels momentarily locking, careful not to stop too abruptly for fear of Spencer running into her.

Dust floated around her, clinging to her white tee shirt and her hair. Her eyes squinted, creating a barrier against the excited dust particles. The haze began to fade, as though a curtain was drawn, her body turned sideways, waiting for Madison and Spencer to join her in the clearing.